Senecio othonniformis yields this alkaloid which forms colourless crystals when
recrystallized from Me2CO-light petroleum. The alkaloid has [α]29D?? - 4.8°
(c 1.78, EtOH). Alkaline hydrolysis yields retronecine, acetic acid and isolinecic acid. Mass spectral data and chemical degradation studies have shown the latter
to be 2: 5-dihydroxy-3-methylheptane-2: 5-dicarboxylic acid or the 2 A-dihydroxy
isomer.
Gordon-Gray, Coucourakis.,J. Chern. Soc., C, 2312 (1970)
